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POP (Pelvic Organ Prolapse) and SUI (Stress Urinary Incontinence) are very common issues, especially for women over 30 who have had children. Likewise, women suffering from transvaginal mesh complications are also becoming more and more common since mesh is used in most POP repairs these days. This is despite the fact that there are FDA warnings and alarming numbers of reported complications.

Mesh Me Not is not affiliated with any law-firms, and I am NOT a doctor , or a medical professional. I can not, and do not offer medical advice.

This is a PERSONAL blog, created to share my own experience with mesh complications, as well as the information and resources I have since discovered regarding surgical mesh, including mesh used for SUI (Stress Urinary Incontinence), POP (Pelvic Organ Prolapse), and hernia mesh, in an attempt to:

Help others suffering from mesh complications find the information, help and support they may need.My name is Deb. I am just one of many women that is suffering from major complications, after what was expected to be minor surgery using TVM for SUI. I am not an expert, and I do not have a medical background. This is a personal blog, about a very personal experience. While it’s not always easy, I strongly believe it’s important to share and spread the word about mesh complications. In addition, I’ll also share the research and resources that I’ve found. You’ll find links to the FDA warnings, medical journals and more here. I don’t expect anyone to just take my word on anything. Mesh complications vary so much. Everyone is different. I am not even close to having all the answers. If you had a mesh implant and are now having medical issues, you will need to research your own situation to determine what your best options are. But, I hope this blog can be a launching pad of sorts to helping you find that information. When I first started researching my own issues I felt very discouraged, confused, alone. Even desperate. When I finally found others who understood what I was going thru it was invaluable! (Check the lists of other blogs, websites, & groups listed to the right in the sidebar). I was amazed at how many other women I met who’s lives had been devastated by mesh, and how so many of us were told, “you’re the only one”. I seriously don’t know what I would have done if it were not for these other women reaching out to me to. Now, I’d like to pay that forward in the hopes of helping others.Of course if you are having medical problems, you need to see a doctor. If you are not happy with the way your doctor is treating you, please keep look for a better doctor! – but, you can not just ignore mesh complications. Please get medical attention in addition.

Serve as a resource to anyone who is suffering from POP or SUI, and may be considering having surgery using transvaginal mesh.
If you are thinking of having some kind of repairs that will use surgical mesh, my personal advice would be to please, please, don’t use mesh! But, I know it’s not that simple, and I can respect that everyone has to make their own choices and decisions. I am not here to judge or second guess your situation. Instead, I applaud you for doing your homework! I am thrilled that you are reading this, and what I’d really like to do is to provide you with some important facts so that you have the opportunity to make a well-informed decision. That is something that I don’t feel like I did. I made a quick decision, with little information. I talk to women all the time who say the same thing – they trusted their doctors and they had NO clue about how serious and “not rare” complications could be. There are some key things I think every doctor and every patient should know before deciding to use surgical mesh as part of repairs/treatment. Some of these are things your doctor may now even know, and so he/she may not convey to you. However, these are things you definitely will wish you had known upfront…. especially IF you do wind up having complications as I did (and thousands more like me). There is a lot to take in and process. It can be overwhelming – but, I made a list of the Top 10 Things I Wish I Had Known Before I Had Mesh, and I hope you will read it.

Raise Awareness and Concern with the Hopes of CHANGE.
There are, fortunately, more and more websites, groups, and blogs popping up that address mesh complications for surgical mesh (TVM, TVT, TOT, Tape & Hernia mesh). Many of these are listed on this blogs (check list to right). I do not plan to recreate the wheel and post eeeeeeverything about mesh complications here that I have learned in this blog. I will not be sharing every detail and step of my mesh complications (your welcome). However I do like the idea of having a place to vent and share valuable information. I hope others can do so as well – but please remember this is a public blog.

I figure, the more places there are online for someone to stumble across, the better chance someone in need has of finding help and information they may desperately need. My hope it that the more voices that speak out against mesh with the hopes of change, the better chance we have of finally being heard. For more information about myself, and regarding my personal experience with mesh, please see the “About Me” page.

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Hello,
I cannot find the page of your blog that tells me about your mesh problems. I feel I am suffering with this issue. I have chronic severe debilitating pain and everyone I go to tells me there is nothing wrong with me and my pain is unrelated to my mesh surgery I really could use talking with someone such as yourself. I am so desperate, I cannot even express how desperate I am. My entire life is destroyed, I am a single mom, with two children with disabilities, it is getting tot he point where by I am almost not able to care for them. I had my surgery in 2008 and have not since worked, cannot collect welfare, unemployment, disability, I am living off of family, I qualify for nothing and I have state insurance since losing my job, which cavers nothing and therefore the doctor I am able to see, brush me off and tell me there is nothing wrong with me. I could really use a friend right now that knows about this, I wonder if you could tell me about your surgery and what went wrong and the signs and symptoms of the mesh surgery that went wrong. I am truly suffering and I wonder if you would be so kind as to tell me your story or direct me to other women who blog about this or have had this surgery that suffer.

But, many people have other symptoms that I did – the most common one being vaginal erosion. The mesh can erode/cute through other tissues, nerves, organs…. which of course causes pain, but can also cause many other things. Many women also complain of autoimmune type disorders. Unfortunately, many doctors either do not want to get involved, or do not recognize many of the complications from mesh. You really need to get to one of the few specialists that deal with mesh complications, that can actually remove the mesh and will help you. There are not many of them.

Can anyone help me? I have gone through all the wondering what is wrong with me for the first 6 years of implant before finding out by accident it was the TVT implant. Then I made the big mistake of going to have removal with two wrong surgeons and ended up worse as it wasn’t removed and now irriversable damage has been done and I have so many disabilities no one could ever correct this I think, I still have mesh in me too. I have a new problem and I need to speak by email in private with someone. I am in litigation for product liability .and was hoping to get my medical costs for mesh removal and repairs as I am now out of money, but my attorneys are saying that the company will not discuss my case because I am not a USA resident, therefore I will get nothing. Can anyone understand this? I am so devastated and do not know where to turn just to speak to someone about this

I’m so sorry you are going through all this. If at all possible, I hope you can get to one of the few doctors that actually specialize in mesh complications, and removal. This blog does not get a lot of regulars commenting here, but, there are SOOO many who can relate to your story. You may want to check out one of the groups on FB, if you haven’t already. I am not sure where you are located, but there are groups representing different countries and locations that might have better information regarding the legal aspects. Unfortunately, I do not know of too many, if any, that are having a lot of luck in that area. Everyone seems to think we can all just file a lawsuit and get rich, but that is far from the truth. Even the few women who had trials, and won their cases, wind up dealing with appeal after appeal, etc. Or taking settlements that are not nearly enough to cover anything, really.

I have had two mesh removals in two seperate countries and those two surgeons removed 2 cm of mesh in total but left me with debiliting complications. I would only go to Raz if I had the money this is because I know and met a genuine mesh sufferer who has been to him. Sadly its too late for me. I know the very most I would have won would maybe had been for revision surgery to remove the mesh hopefully to get a bit of improvement and at least end the daily infection, I don’t expect or ask for much these days but after all the work I have put into this, hey ho! scewed yet again, this time by attorneys. Amazing how much money there is to be made out of mesh injured womens misery.

OMG….I am crying you are me….and now I am scared.
Please email…..I am from Canada and have the Gynecare J&J TVTO
with complications immediately postoperative in recovery room…..but who would listen when you’ve just awaken from surgery…. 2008 May 23….THE DAY I DIED.
I say this because my life has need been the same since.

Hi Leslie. I know exactly what you mean. =( And, I believe you! I know many others who would also believe you. You really need to try to get to one of the few doctors that specialize in mesh complications. Others just don’t seem to know what to do with us. =(

I’m writing on behalf of my mother who had a TVT implanted in Sept/2012, since then she’s been dealing with horrible pain DAILY. As a family, we’ve had to helplessly watch someone we love go through pain every single day. She complains about nerve pain all the way down her legs as well as pain in her pelvic region. She is going to visit Dr. Raz in a few days and looking forward to having some questions answered. Do you have any advice for what she should have prepared for her consultation? Thanks!

GKB – I’m so sorry your Mom, and your family, is going through all this. I am very happy, though, that she is making her way to Dr. Raz. I truly feel like he is the best. I would bring whatever medical records, especially from the implant surgery, that you have. I had a whole binder of my records. Are you traveling far? If using airlines – be sure to request wheelchair assistance. It was a Godsend for me. I do have an album in Facebook, with pics… and information/tips on each pic…https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.304027056398512.1073741830.299505896850628&type=3

I am writing this because my wife cannot sit in front of the computer because of pelvic pain. She had a TOT 10 years ago. Dr Mark Conway in Merrimack, NH recently diagnosed that as the problem, and she is scheduled for a partial mesh removal by him in December. Does anyone have any comments about him?

Charles – First of all – thank you so much for trying to help your wife. I can’t tell you how many women I hear from that are not getting any support from their families – and/or doctors. So, I’m glad you are asking questions.

I’m not familiar with Dr. Conway – but, please be very careful choosing a doctor… and also with “partial removals”. I know far too many women who had partial removal surgery after partial removal surgery.. and just kept getting worse and worse. If at all possible, I think it’s best to go to one of the few exert doctors that are doing “full removals”, or as close to full as possible including the anchors and arms that most doctors will not even attempt to remove.

You can try asking around about this doctor in some of the larger support groups… too.

Hi Deb, Thank you for this site. Can you please email me offline? I am having full TOT removal in Switzerland (where I live) on March 1. The best surgeon for this in Switzerland has never done a full removal – only partials. He wants to understand how to deal with the part of the TOT tape that is next to the obdurator fosse/nerve. He is looking for Dr Raz’s email in order to contact him and I wondered if you would feel comfortable providing that directly to my surgeon by email if I give you his name and contact details. All the best, Jennifer Brant jenbrant@hotmail.com

I know Dr. Raz travels and teaches other docs all the time. I would want to go to a doctor that has some experience already, if at all possible. Removing mesh is NOT easy… and that is why most docs will not do it.

My mother died of sepsis from her abdominal mesh on February 15, 2019. I want nothing more than to share her story and warn others of surgical mesh. Her surgery, when she first received the mesh, was 2005. Multiple Infections – including gangrene – happened immediately and continued off and on throughout the years until she passed. She was told that the removal of the mesh would kill her. I lost my best friend and my MOM! I want to raise awareness by warning other people and advising that THIS CAN HAPPEN TO YOU. Can you provide me with some links that you feel I should take a look at?